There has long been recognized a need for apparatus assisting in the movement of a wheelchair-bound person into the passenger compartment of an automobile.
Many such devices have been designed for use with vans having large door openings, in which the person is lifted by means of a power screw mounted platform, which swings through the opening prior to being lowered within the vehicle.
See U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,634 issued on Dec. 22, 1981 for a "Lift Assembly" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,035 issued on Apr. 28, 1987 for a "Collapsible Wheel-Chair and Apparatus for Lifting the Wheel Chair Into and Out From an Automobile" for examples of such apparatus.
See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,076 issued on May 12, 1992 for a "Wheelchair with Removable Seat" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,060 issued on Nov. 5, 1985 for a "Device for Raising Various Loads, Particularly Trolleys for Handicapped Persons on Vehicles".
Such systems are too bulky for use with conventional vehicles. Vans are expensive and more difficult to maneuver, and many persons forced to use a wheelchair would prefer to be transported in a less obvious manner than in such a van. Hence it would be desirable to adapt such apparatus to a conventional sedan.
Attempts have heretofore been made to provide such apparatus adapted to the more compact confines of a sedan model car.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,663 issued on Jul. 3, 1984 describes apparatus which allows a wheelchair to be swung behind the steering wheel of an auto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,387 issued on Jul. 14, 1981 describes a seat which is detachable from a wheelchair and slid on rails into the passenger compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,368 also uses a detachable seat, but swings the seat from an away facing attitude into the vehicle.
See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,549 issued on May 4, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,663 issued on Jul. 3, 1984; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,424 issued on Jul. 18, 1972.
However, such apparatus have been unduly complex and expensive; have required extensive modification of the vehicle; or, involved complicated time-consuming procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,924 issued on Dec. 28, 1982 describes such apparatus mounted to the vehicle door, but this would load the door hinges excessively.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a transfer apparatus for moving persons from a wheelchair into the passenger compartment of an automobile which is compact and requires motions readily adapted to a sedan with only minimal adaptation.
Another object is to provide such apparatus which is simple and can be manufactured at low cost, and to be readily affordable to individuals.